Today's Scripture Reading (April 20, 2024): Romans 5
In the "Star
Trek: The Next Generation" episode, "Who Watches the Watchers,"
the crew of the Enterprise travel to Mintaka III and come into contact with the
primitive race that calls the planet their home. In their contact with the
primitive people who inhabit the Mintaka III, the Enterprise's crew, especially
their Captain, Jon-Luc Picard, are mistakenly considered gods. After all, they
have so many powers that are beyond what these primitive people could imagine.
At the end of
the episode, the people ask that their dead relatives be brought back to life,
people who had died the previous year during a season of flooding. Of course,
that action is beyond the capabilities of even the futuristic crew of the
Enterprise. But that is something that the people of Mintaka III struggle to understand.
In the moment of being turned down, the question that remains is not an
understanding that there are limits to the power of their new god, "The
Picard," but rather that the people of Mintaka III have angered "The
Picard" so that he is unwilling to give the people their request. What had
they done to anger the Picard? And of even more importance, what could they do
to make peace with "The Picard" and his angelic agents?
It reminds me
of a story about T. E. Lawrence, maybe better known as Lawrence of Arabia, traveling
by camel through the deserts of Arabia. As they travel, Lawrence notices that
one of his comrades is missing. Immediately, he questions his companions about
the last time they saw their friend.
"Where
is Jasmine?" Lawrence asks.
He receives a
mysterious response. "Who is Jasmine?"
Lawrence
continues, "The one we have been traveling with. There is his camel, with
the rifle still on it. Maybe they shot him, and he fell."
Again, his
mates question Lawrence. "Maybe he is not strong in mind or body and has
fallen victim to the desert. He is not worth a nickel; who cares where he is."
According to
the tale, at this point, Lawrence stopped, turned around, and started to find his
lost friend. A hot and dangerous hour and a half later, he discovered his
travel mate in the process of being murdered by the desert. The famed British
military officer reached down, picked him up, gave him the last few drops of
his water, and started back. When he caught up with his party, they were amazed
that T. E. Lawrence, who was of infinite value, would stop and search for one
that wasn't worth a nickel.
We have peace
with God, not because of what we have done, but because God has made peace with
us. He, who is of infinite value, has made peace with us, who are worth less
than a nickel, through the death of his Son, Jesus Christ, on the cross.
We did not
make peace with God; He reached down and made peace with us.
Tomorrow's Scripture
Reading: Romans 6
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